These inventions relate to methods, an apparatus for their implementation, of unique player participation games, and for improved methods of play for games of skill and games of chance. More particularly, these inventions relate to new and improved games involving player participation in a broadcast medium, such as television, and in other communication medium, such as over the internet or other communications network.
Play or participation games fall broadly under the categories of games of chance and games of skill. One of the main forms of games of chance are lotteries. By definition, a lottery involves the three elements of: 1) prize, 2) chance and 3) consideration. If these three elements are present, then the game is considered to be a lottery, and is typically then run by a governmental entity. In the United States, lotteries are typically run by the individual states, or collectively by a group of states. In other countries, it is typically the national government which runs the lottery. Countries and states attempt to strictly limit the game play to their geographic boundaries. For example, in Austria, while electronic access to the game may be available over the internet, or in order to play, the person must have a bank account in Austria, and be able to navigate the non-english menu.
Games have been conducted in any of a number of formats. Certainly, live, in person games have been performed. Yet other games have been played and broadcast over a broadcast medium, such as radio or television. Yet other games have been played through a more active communication medium, such as the telephone, or over a communication network such as the internet.
Various attempts have been made to provide game play over the internet. By way of example, the game show Jeopardy has been placed on the web at http://www.sony.com.
Various other attempts have been made to extend the general concept of gambling to broad communication media, such as the internet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,268 entitled, xe2x80x9cMethod of Participating in a Live Casino Game from a Remote Locationxe2x80x9d has been asserted in a litigation in against an off shore corporation. The ""268 patent discloses a system in which a player may participate in a live casino game from a location remote from the casino. A player interface station, such as a computer terminal or other special input device, is connected by a communication line to the casino. A second communication line is established from the casino to the player""s financial institution. The player is presented with an image of an actual xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d game. The player then participates directly as if they were physically present at the casino. A wager is cleared with the players financial institution to insure adequate resources to cover the bet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,739 to Ronald A. Katz is entitled, xe2x80x9cTelephonic-Interface Statistical Analysis Systemxe2x80x9d. The patent describes various operating formats, including a format to be performed in association with television media. Specifically, in one embodiment, a real-time format is provided in which television viewers participate on a real-time basis in a game show for prizes. Expanded audience participation is achieved. Various levels of qualification are provided, such as where a child""s television game format is utilized, parental clearance may be required. The use of personal identification numbers (pin numbers) is disclosed. In one implementation, the caller is prompted to identify which of the actual studio audience participants the caller will be aligned with. Additionally, the caller may be instructed to indicate the extent of a wager. As the game progresses, the individual player""s accounts are credited or debited, thereby providing on-going accounting data. In yet another implementation, a non real-time operation is provided. Such a show might involve a quiz for callers based on their ability to perceive and remember occurrences within the show. Pre-registration is optionally utilized. In this implementation, a sequence or time clock would be utilized in order to limit or control individual interfaces to a specific time or geographic xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d. In this way, the caller questions may be utilized across various time zones without the caller having obtained the question earlier than other callers within a given time zone.
Berman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,115 discloses a game show and method entitled xe2x80x9cInteractive Game Show and Method for Achieving Interactive Communication Therewithxe2x80x9d. An interactive communication system is provided which permits individuals to electronically select at least one possible outcome of a plurality of outcomes of a future event. Successful contestants possibly share in a prize award associated with the event. A home audience of a televised game show may electronically communicate a series of random numbers using their touch tone telephone to participate in the show.
Recently, various governmental entities and trade organization have addressed the issue of game play over the internet. Congressman Kye has introduced a bill which would preclude the offering of internet based gaming, though permitting states to offer internet gambling. Consideration has been given to requiring that the state sponsored gaming be limited to an intranet, in an effort to limit those participating to persons physically resident within the states boundaries. Various international lottery organizations have promoted similar restrictions, namely, precluding the individuals offering of games of chance, and reserving that option exclusively to the state.
Various lottery formats are known to the art. In one classic format, a pre-determined number of tickets are provided with certain printed matter, such as numbers or other indicia, where the information is then obscured by a scratch off layer. By removing the layer and revealing the underlying information, the ticket holder may determine whether they have won or not. Various extensions have been made to a xe2x80x9cvirtualxe2x80x9d scratch off ticket where no physical ticket is provided.
A conventional lottery proceeds as follows. First, a series of numbers are selected, either by the player or by some automated selection system, such as by computer. Upon the occurrence of a pre-determined event, such as on a set date and time, numbers are randomly chosen. Both mechanical methods, such as selection of ping-pong balls bearing numeric designations, or electronic means such as through a random number generator, may be utilized. The selected numbers are then provided to the participants, such as through a broadcast medium like newspapers, radio and television. Finally, the holder or holders of winning tickets then present their ticket for payment.
In yet another aspect of game play, a typical television presented game show lasts on the order of one half hour. Various shorter format games or shows have been utilized, for example, a football based advertisement or game has been presented by IBM during televised football games under the name xe2x80x9cYou Make The Callxe2x80x9d. Yet other shorter version games have been presented over web TV or on the Game Show Network.
Despite the wide spread participation in various forms of game play, as well as the suggestions for implementing those games on a mass communication network, such as through the telephone or internet, the possibility for new games, or improved game play exists.
Various interactive game show formats and methods for game play are provided. In one embodiment, a second or ancillary game is played in parallel with a first or primary game. By way of example, in association with a first game comprising a lottery number ball draw, a second game may involve a selected player""s guessing whether the next ball draw will be of a higher or lower number, or odd or even or the like.
Various aspects of enhanced games play and novel game are disclosed. In a first aspect, the game play method and system provides for the playing or running of a parallel game or ancillary game along with a first or primary game. For example, during the real time ball draw for a lottery, the improved game play would involve running a parallel or ancillary game along with the ball draw. One implementation would involve a first ball draw, followed then by game play by a contestant such as predicting whether the next ball drawn would be of a higher or lower number, or would be odd or even.
In one implementation, the master of ceremonies would advise the player which of these options had a better probability of being the outcome, thereby making the ancillary game more a game of chance as opposed to a game of skill. Optionally, scoring may be done, such as where one player or audience participant is scored or ranked relative to another player or participant.
In yet another aspect, the game play includes the use of contestant game play to determine lottery numbers. For example, a contestant may be blind folded or otherwise be made unable to see various options. The person then selects from among the various options as the means by which the random lottery numbers are drawn. One example could comprise a blind folded contestant selecting objects.
In yet another aspect, this invention relates to an interstitial game show. Main or regular programming, such as is broadcast on a given evening during prime time on a broadcast network would additionally include multiple interspersed, typically short, segments relating to game play. In the preferred embodiment, the game play would be for a relatively short period of time, for example, 1 to 2 minutes. For example, at 8:00 an initial round may be played prior to the beginning of prime time programming. Normal programming would then resume through the remainder of the 8:00 hour. At 9:00, a second short segment may be played. The play may continue at later times, such as to culminate at a show at 11:00. Preferably, the short segments would not necessarily be shown at a predetermined or predeterminable time as far as the audience was concerned. In that way, viewers who wish to see the progression of the game segments would need to continue viewing that channel, or at least, return to the channel fairly frequently. Optionally, the game play my be progressive from one interstitial game segment to another. Players may be presented with the option of stopping play or continuing.
In yet another game format, the show would include a display having an underlying image, with that image being at least partially obscured by overlying image regions which differ from the underlying image region. A contestant would be given a time limit in which they would be presented with information relating to a suggestion or a clue relating to an overlying image region, which if the player responded correctly, would be removed so as to reveal that portion of the underlying image which was below the overlying image. The suggestion or clues may be related to the underlying image or may merely be unrelated suggestions or clues with respect to that particular overlying image region.
Yet another embodiment of game play provides for the repurposing of an existing taped game show. The previously recorded game show would be segmented into subsets of issues, for example, presentation of questions or answers (as in the case of Jeopardy), those issues would be presented to one or more players, a response would be received from those players, and the answer would be compared to the correct answer. Scoring would then rank players relative to one another or to indicate the amount of the prize.
In yet another game play implementation, one or more contestants would be presented with multiple images upon which predetermined data had been assembled. For example, images of five actresses may be presented to the player and the associated data would comprise opinion polling information as to whom the audience thought was the most attractive. The players would then play against each other to eliminate the images which they believe do not correspond to the most popular or number one response. The players would alternate until one player remained. In a second round, individual play, as opposed to play between contestants is utilized. Again, the player attempts to eliminate those answers which were other than the most popular answer of the audience.
In yet another aspect of enhanced game play, audience participation via an interactive video display, such as a computer connected over the Internet, or via an interactive television arrangement, may participate in the program.
Accordingly, it is an object of this series of inventions to provide for novel game play.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide for enhanced modes of game play in association with existing forms of game play.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide for the repurposing or repackaging of previously recorded game shows.